Irvine, Calif.-based Pacific Dental Services has stayed dedicated to boosting support for dental assistants and advancing medical-dental integration.
These initiatives have been core focuses for the DSO for several years, with the company reaching several milestones recently for both.
Pacific Dental Services and Fountain Valley, Calif.-based MemorialCare recently opened their first co-located integrated office in Irvine, Calif. The opening is part of the two organizations' joint venture to integrate dental and medical care. The partnership includes opening several co-located offices throughout Orange and Los Angeles counties over the course of several years. All providers at the locations will have access to shared electronic health records through Epic.
Pacific Dental Services also partnered with the Workman School of Dental Medicine at High Point (N.C.) University to implement Epic at the university.
Additionally, Pacific Dental Services began supporting several initiatives in honor of American Heart Month in February, pointing to data showing that people with periodontal disease are more likely to experience a stroke or heart attack. Among its initiatives, Pacific Dental Services began educating team members about heart health and providing team members with interactive CPR demonstrations.
PDS has also turned to several methods to support the 5,600 dental assistants in its network.
The company has invested $5 million in compensation and specialized training for its dental assistants, while also providing 100% college tuition coverage for dental assistants to earn an undergraduate degree.
The Pacific Dental Services Foundation recently awarded $45,000 to recipients of its Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship for Spring 2024, according to a March 7 news release.
Founder and CEO Stephen Thorne IV told Becker's that supporting dental assistants is critical to alleviating workforce shortages. This includes uplifting the profession by providing educational opportunities and promoting the profession.
"Our primary goal is to raise the visibility and status of dental assisting. Dental assisting is a demanding yet rewarding occupation on par with medical assisting and nursing," Mr. Thorne told Becker's. "It is through our collective efforts that we can elevate the professional stature of dental assisting and secure a brighter future for our industry."